Hosiery



Feb 1931- G. E. FICHTNER ET AL 1,791,405

HOSIERY Filed Jan. 15, 1930 FIG].

material of the stocking at the toe which ire-- Patented Feb. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. FIGHTNER, OF MORRIS COUNTY, AND MALCOLM G. VAN ARSDALE, 0F ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO VAN BAALTE COMPANY, INC., 01 NEW YORK,

N. Y., A CORPORATION 015 NEW YORK Application filed January 15, 1980. Serial No. 420,859.

This invention relates to hosiery and, particularly, to stockings and socks.

Among the objects of this invention is to provide a stocking particularly designed to afiord comfort to the wearer in the vicinity of the toe. It is common practice to make certain portions of a stocking of heavier material than the major portion of the stocking in order to provide greater wearing quality where the wear upon the stocking 1S severest. The too is one of the portions ot a stocking which is generally considered to require reinforcement and, according y, the majority of stockin if not all, are there reinforced because 0 public demand. Compromises have heretofore been followed which incurred a sacrifice of fitting qualities in favor of convenience in manufacturing processes. This has resulted in the production of a stocking which does not fit perfectly partly because the stocking commonly produced has a quickly tapering toe quite dissimilar to the broad shape of the forward portion of the foot. In the common form of stocking there is a b'unching of the quently causes a poor fit and discomfiture within the shoe. If the stocking fits the foot in such a manner that the toes-enveloping sheath is completely filled, the reinforced material of the stocking exerts compression on the toes. L

In the case of a stout foot the compression may be quite sensible, and even as to a stool;- ing of apparently comfortable hi; there 1s a certain, though not always apparent, discomfiture because of the relative difference of the weight and elasticity of the materials coverin different though adjacent portions of the $00!; It is therefore, among the objects of our invention to overcome the disadvantages outlined and to provide a stocking having a reinforced toe-portion which is easily conformable to the form of the foot without oppression t0 the freedom and comfort of the toes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stocking which, for the same length of foot, is suitable to comfortably clothe a stout and fat foot as well as a bony foot of materialto be taken into the breadth of the stockin v Another object of the invention is to provide a stocking having a wear-resisting toe portion which has. provision at the outer sides of the foot for reducing friction--and hence enhancing comfortbecause of a poor fit and/or recurring spreading arid movement of the foot within a shoe while walking, without in the least detractin from the wear resisting quality of the rein oroed toe.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, some of which are related to and others of which are inde endent of the foregoing objects will be re erred to in the description of the invention and in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a general view of the foot of a stocking embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the toe of the stocking.

Fig. 3 is a detail of an area of meshes.

Having reference to the drawings, 10 is a full fashioned stocking or sock of any type, which is provided with reinforcing portions at the heel 11 and the toe 12. While the reinforced portions may be made in divers ways, one customary procedure involves the increasing in the number of wales per unit of width as com ared with the number of wales in the stoc 'ng proper. In all reinforcings the quantity of thread and of material per unit area is necessarily increased, and, obviously, the portion of the stocking which is designed for wear-resisting is more harsh, less pliant and less elastic than the remaining body of the stocking. In fact the elasticity is so limitedthat the toes-enveloping sheath of any particular stocking, is suitable, in dimensions, to accommodate only but a small range of sizes of toes.

The result is that a stout foot may be compressed-and increasingly compressed when within a shoe bearing weightwith attendant discomfort. If a larger size of stocking, one having greater length of foot, is used then the wearer runs the risk of acquiring troubles frequently is present in stockingsmade by' commonly used processes is obviated by the incident to too large sizesblistered and tender feet because of folds and poor fit.

It is unquestionably better that all feet of the same length be capable of wearing the same size of stocking and in order to achieve this desideratum and attain the objects primarily stated, we provide along the sides of the toes-enveloping portion and where the wear and contact pressure between the foot and the shoe is greatest, open-work meshes formed of lace stitches and narrowings. These open-work meshes at 13 and 14 may best be formed in the manufacture of the stocking by omitting narrowing needles in the narrowing needles finger which forms the set in the toe of the stocking. The spacmg of the meshes may be controlled by the number of needles omitted. The spacing of the meshes and the size of each area of meshes are factors which determine the degree of elasticity and expansibility to be had and we have found that the relative sizes of the areas, as illustrated, is admirably suited for the purposes of the invention. Such pro ortion of areas of meshes will give a ood t without tightness and they permit the toes to breathe. The meshes formed of lace stitches and narrowings create elastic areas which are more expansible, both longitudinally of the foot and laterally, than the adjacent reinforcing areas with the result that good fitting of any foot may be had and, for a stout foot particularly, the expansibility lacking in the reinforcing of the toe is counteracted by the character of and the supply of material constituting the areas of meshes.

The bunching of material at the toe which stocking of our invention for the meshes readily give in the direction of the broadest dimension across the base of the toes and the bunching which would otherwise exist at the, end of the toes is taken up in the fore-shortening of the longitudinal dimensions of the mesh areas as the lateral dimensions of the mesh areas are expanded. As a consequence the toes-enveloping sheath neatly encases the toes without wrinkling 'or overlapping of material.

The meshes also provide more comfort, not only because of improved fitting qualities but because of the cushioning efi'ect afforded thereby for the outer toes against the shoe. In the part of the shoe contacting the toes friction is high because of the recurring movement of the toes during walking and because of the closeness of fit of shoes, particularly womens shoes, with the result that soreness is often caused. The meshes rovided are pliant, relatively soft and sel -conforming and, therefore, eliminate irritation that might otherwise appear due to relatively harsher reinforcing material. While possessing physical attributes of the nature outany clothed area subject to friction and movement. 1

The exact placing and'sizes of the areas of meshes are not important except they'should cover areas suitable for cushioning the outer toes, but they must be of such a character as to afford requisite elasticity. It is preferable that the areas of meshes be placed in balanced positions, as shown in Fig. 2. In such positions they are useful in assisting to correctly place the stocking on the foot so that the bottom seam, if any, will be in the middle of the foot and the rear seam will be started upwardly from the middle of the heel. The results attained and the advantages which have been related are most desirable and are either directl or indirectly attributable to the meshes ormed of lace stitches and narrowings, but it is appreciated that meshes may be used which are formed in other ways, and which possess the features characterizing this invention, and that such meshes are intended to come within the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims.

What we claimis: 1. A full fashioned stocking having a reinforced toes-enveloping sheath and a pair of areas of openwork meshes constituting areas of fabric more elastic than the adjacent fabric of the sheath, there being one area of meshes on each side of the stocking within the reinforced toes-enveloping sheath, each area of meshes having a longitudinal dimension in the direction of extension of the toes and its narrowest dimension so disposed as to be expandable crosswise of the foot, whereby when the foot is placed within the stockin mesh areas are expanded laterally an surplus material at the end of the toes is drawn in by the foreshortening of the longitudinal dimensions of the areas of meshes.

2. A full fashioned stocking having a reinforced toes-enveloping sheath, comprising a surface of closely knit reinforcing material extending across the top of the sheath and similar material extending across the under surface of the sheath, and areas of openwork meshes separating said surfaces at opposite edges and joined thereto, one on each side of the sheath between the upper and under surfaces and forming a part of the sheath, each of said areas of meshes being bounded by the fashioning marks which outline the diamond point of the stocking.

3. A full fashioned stocking having a reinforced toes-enveloping sheath or pocket including areas of openwork, each of said areas of openwork consisting of the area formed within the lines of narrowing or fashioning the l memos marks as formed in the narrowing operation.

4. A' full fashioned stocking comprising a reinforced toes-enveloping sheath or pocket and gussets or diamond points having their areas interspersed with openwork meshes which are formed in the narrowing operation by the narrowing needles.

5. A full fashioned stocking comprising a reinforced toes-enveloping sheath or pocket having therein areas of openwork meshes adapted to lie adjacent the outer toes, each of said areas of meshes consisting of at least two adjacent longitudinal rows of meshes which extend a substantial distance in the general direction of extension of the toes and are more elastic than the adjacent fabric of the toes-enveloping sheath or pocket.

In testimony whereof we hereto aifix our signatures.

GEORGE E. FICHTNER. MALCOLM G. VAN ARSDALE. 

